SALEM (December 12, 2011) – As part of ongoing road construction to widen a one-mile section of Route 221 in Roanoke County, concrete bridge beams will be delivered this week and next week and set into place on the new bridge over Back Creek.
The 10 bridge beams now are expected to be delivered between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14 and Monday, December 19 and Tuesday, December 20. These dates are tentative and could be adjusted. Equipment issues have caused the contractor to revise the previously announced schedule.
As each beam arrives on the project site, two large cranes will be used to lower it onto the new bridge. To allow for delivery, unloading and placement of the beams, Route 221 traffic will be stopped for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Each beam is approximately 90-feet long and weighs more than 89,000 pounds.
Every effort will be made to minimize traffic disruptions. However, traffic will have to be stopped for several minutes on Route 221, along adjacent roadways and at private entrances. Route 221 will be closed between its intersection with Route 688 (Cotton Hill Road) and where the currently four-lane roadway ends.
Signs and message boards will be in place to alert drivers to these traffic delays. Drivers should watch for flaggers and expect short-term delays.
For real-time traffic information, please visit www.511Virginia.org or dial 511. For more information, contact VDOT at (540) 387-5250.